Intel Press Release - Sandy Bridge Issue - What does this mean for the M17xR3?

I have updated post#1 with information Chris posted over on the Dell community forum. Please review...

Dell's Chris-M posted this over @ the Dell Community Forum:

(Src: Re: Intel recall, I7 Gen 2 chipset - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community)

 

If yours has not shipped than you won't get it according to Batboy's post on what DELL-ChrisM wrote.

 

I honestly see no reason they should ship them out. Just creating a potential residual issue for the future.

 

I hope that isn't the case. This defect will not impact us using the system RIGHT NOW.


Not nice to know I have waited over a week and now will need to get my order cancelled.

 

I was putting together my list of which sandy-bridge laptop to buy when all this hit the fan.
A bummer that I have to wait another couple of months before I buy one but so is life.
At least I did not get burned with already buying one and having to deal with the return/replacement issues.

D.

 

Anyone know what number to call for US? If someone is able to demand a free item, or additional discount due to the delay, please let us know. This only applies to people who have a current order that will be canceled or delayed.

 

I suppose , at least, the Dell statement, courtesy of ChrisM, shows that all bases are covered. Looks like however your order is affected, Dell have you covered with a good option for each scenario wether its shipped/arrived/in progress.

I would feel comfortable now with that (if I were an R3 customer) as I would know im taken care of either way.

The only thing being is the extended timescale for those of you already involved. Something I doubt that Dell will recompense you for - would be nice if they did tho eh? - maybe an accessory or something to sweeten it would be a cool idea! (Intel can pick up the tab lol)

 

I just recieved my M17x R3 today. I called Alienware and spoke with a csr, and I was issued a replacement unit and a case reference #. I was told to wait 5-7 days until my new unit ships.

I asked if this new unit being shipped to me is fixed and he said "of course" so I'm guessing they already have replacement parts?

Until then I am going to open this baby up and play with it until my new unit arrives.

You do not have to ship your unit back until the new one arrives for those wondering.

 

That is awfully fast. A little...too fast.

I hope it all turns out okay for you

 

Ok..... 3 minutes after my last post. Dell called me and informed me they had made a mistake. They are not sending me a replacement unit as of yet. But they will be sending one out once they have them available.

So I'm guessing we all have to wait until they have new units. Either way, current R3 owners will be taken care of.

 

Thats great news. Hopefully you wont have to wait too long. I wonder how Dell plan to deal with those that have already had their R3.....from a personal viewpoint, I wouldnt be that keen oon having a tech come out to replace the mobo on such a new purchase - I would be wanting a full exchange....lets face it, most people in that boat wont have had their R3's for that long anyway and I would only think its fair for them to return and get a brand new replacement unit.

 

Chris covered this -

Its also important to keep in mind the time frame he mentioned in his post:

 

Well I've had a Dell rep do some desktop maintenance in the past but never laptop maintenance. Batboy, do you feel its 'safe' to let a to your home tech replace the motherboard? I'm loving this thing way to much to give it back, but I also don't want to lose the blu-ray drive (on the bad sata ports) after 5 months.

 

I have had the in-home tech work on my M15x/R1 at my kitchen table and while I shut up and watched the tech from dell with little blinking - he did not screw up a motherboard swap. The guy was sub-contracted for the dell maintenance

 

Also make sure that whatever replacement parts they think they will need the tech brings as many related parts as needed so you have only one at-home interruption/downtime

 

I just received mine 2 hours ago even though I ordered last week. I'm happy!! I'll play with this unit to compare benchmarks with the 2720 to see if the 2820 is worth it and also see if I like 3d. Personally I'm not a big fan of repairs so either way I'll be sending mine back for an identical unit or hopefully in a months time the 6970 etc

 

This comes up quite often... Have we heard horror stories of the on-site tech damaging the system? Yes. This has happened.

My personal take (from my own experience with on-site serv calls), let the tech do their job. If they screw up, Dell is going to cover any damage the tech causes. Period. (yes, I've had this happen and yes, they did resolve it to my satisfaction)

What you dont want to do is put yourself into a position where you convince support to send you the parts and then during the install by complete accident, cause damage to the system. Not saying you would but it can happen.

I much rather have the tech screw up and have it covered vs. me screwing it up and hearing "Sorry sir, you insisted on doing the repair yourself..."

So what to do with the R3? Its a tough call. You may just want to return it for a refund - especially if you have a secondary system you can use until it is re-launched. Only you can decide what is best in order to meet your current needs.

 

I've also had a contracted tech do some work for me on a laptop and would be willing to let him change a MB no questions asked. Yes I agree that it shouldn't have to be done but if done properly by a skilled tech there is no reason this will affect the performance/lifespan.

 

You have no idea how awesome this sounds (the idea of in-home service)! My current laptop (of a lesser brand) is the type to have you send your laptop to them and pray to god you get it back in 1-2 months. Having this stuff done in my home would be awesome.

 

hey so does anyone know exactly what number and extension to call or deal with my order for my m17x r3. cause every person i call they just transfer me and no one at dell knows anything about there job.

 

Oh, I'd defiantly let them do it. Things I'd do: Memory/yes, Network card/maybe, motherboard/not just no(-bleep- no). I am just enjoying this thing so much right now. Trust me I have been debating over and over since Monday lunchtime when the news broke what I wanted to do. Right now I just don't think I can go back to what I had.

 

So, just got off the phone with a very pleasant American Dell rep (after being passed around for what seemed like an eternity between several reps who could barely speak english and who were all very rude).

I was calling in to cancel my order on my r3 that I placed on the 20th and still had not yet received. I asked if the rumors were true that Dell had issued a cancellation on all existing r3 orders and he told me that some orders were still being processed and shipped and Dell had a plan for all r3's being shipped with the troubled motherboard.

he told me to wait a day or two to see if I would get the laptop and then call in to cancel. I'm thinking about it and will decide tomorrow. If no r3 is delivered then i'll buy an outlet r2 and NDD it.

 

My rep (sounded American) told me Dell has not decided yet whether to hold the orders, or ship. And that someone would contact us.

 

i hope they ship the current orders and then just replace them later on. that would be the way to go instead of having us wait another month or more to get our computers.

 

Decided not to return our R3's.

The chance 2-5 ports we don't use, that may possibly degrade after months or years of use is not worth the trouble of sending back and waiting again. Even swapping out the motherboard from what I currently understand may not be worth the risk if we are not using those ports.

 

I had just received an email from Dell saying

"As informed the chipset issue is not rectified as of now and the replacement won’t serve any purpose as you will receive the same a system with same configuration . We are still waiting for the Intel to update us about the chipsets. You can use the same system and if there is any update on the chipset issue you can call us back and we will do the needful.


Thank you again for choosing Dell and have a wonderful day."

 

so according to
Intel Chipset Issue - Direct2Dell - Direct2Dell - Dell Community

people with current m17x r3 orders will be on hold for awhile. says til early April probably. i think thats some bull. they should just send out the orders that say in production to the people that agree to it and then later fix or replace the system. i dont fell llike waiting months for my laptop to get here.

need some advice on what i should do. should i go m17x classic or just go m15x.

 

I called again today and two different managers told me my order was still being processed and in the final stages of production/testing. I was told by both managers that my laptop would be shipped to me.

I then asked what Dell was going to do regarding the replacement of the motherboard once the part from Intel came available. They had no answer.

I canceled my order, in part because they could not tell me their plan and they were very rude throughout the process.

 

They can not legally do that, it doesnt matter if you think its bull or not.

 

So mine is still in the "In Production" stage. On the phone it says that it's in the In production - "Build stage", with an EDD of 2/16 (will ship out on 2/15). This status has not changed for 2 days now. Also, no word from any csr either. None of these folks at Dell know anything, do they?

So frustrating. I hope I just receive mine on the normal EDD and get offered the recall/repair option. Rather have a "faulty" system now than wait till April, cuz I bought it with aafes, and that deal doesn't come around often, if at all.

 

Legal? The units are NOT DEFECTIVE. It is a known issue and can be resolved later. There is no reason not to send out what is available now.

 

Actually, there is, they are defective and Intel has recalled them, they have a legally binding agreement with Intel.

 

+1.

10char

 

Dookie, I feel your pain. I got that 30% discount through AAFES on a loaded R3 when I ordered on the 25th. I'm leaving for Iraq in March or April, and need the unit before I go. I need to call Dell and see what they can do.

 

Have you checked your aafes account's order status section yet? Mine says all the correct info (build specs, billing addy, shipping addy, etc), and has the link to the Dell tracking site. When I click on that link, I get taken to the Dell Order status page, which has my setup, order status, edd, etc. BUT BUT BUT, it doesnt have my shipping or billling info. If I log in (I just entered my email and a random password), it just shows "N/A" under billing and shipping information.

Do you get that also? My guess for this is cuz it was sent from aafes to dell as a "middle-man" type purchase. I'm hoping it'll come to the correct shipping addy though, and when I call Dell for a refund they'll give it to me, rather than making me go to aafes for a refund, warranty info, etc.

 

Dookie, I get the same thing on the Dell Order Status page. Also, my cc has been charged already.
I don't really want to go for a refund. I want the unit, and the problem isn't debilitating, even with two HDDs. I wonder if I/we cancelled, would we get the same deal if we ordered again?
If I call Dell and agree to keep the order open, would they offer me an extended warranty?

 

I've been trying to call Dell for some options, but they're closed. I guess they don't work 24hours even though they outsource to India, Philippines, etc. I'd like to get the same price for the same config I got also. Gonna edit my signature so it shows my specs below for your reference.

 

With all of these going back, I bet there will be some killer deals in the outlet this summer.

 

Hi guys, thought I'd throw in my 2cents - been following the Sandybridge issue since it started as I had the unfortunate luck of ordering my new laptop on the 25th of Jan, just before all of this kicked off.

Firstly, the M17X r3 was on sale still at the dell.co.uk/alienware store until yesterday morning, but when I checked yesterday and the R3 had been pulled - I braced myself for the worst.

I tried the alienware/dell chat online tool this morning to get some answers as to what's going on with my order which hasn't changed from the "Order Recieved" status since the 25th. I got told in no uncertain terms that there "was a problem with the sandbridge chipset" and that I should "phone dell customer services for an update - have a nice day" a bit abrupt, but ok...

I then phoned Dell Customer Services and explained my situation to a nice American sounding lady. I specifically wanted to know; with the Sandybridge issue - would my order be killed/postponed indefinately or would it still enter the 'build stage' and be sent to me. She went to go and check with her superiors but after a brief interlude came back to me with the answer.

Apparantly my laptop will still enter production on 16th Feb and they still expect to make the estimated delivery date of 21st Feb. The reason for the delay would be that they are awaiting parts.

This strikes me as good news, as we already know Dell will continue to take care of their customers affected by this issue and indeed it will be covered by the warranty so this leaves me thinking either one of the following is true:

1) My order ships with the faulty chipset (which wouldn't immediately be an issue) and I can later arrange for a tech to come around and correct the issue at no cost.

2) The parts Dell are waiting for are the new motherboards, and so my laptop will ship with this issue resolved.

I hope this is the case, as this will be my first Alienware/Dell experience and I really don't want to have to wait until mid-April for my laptop!

On a sidenote: Is there a thread opened anywhere specifically for those who have their laptops on order / or have recieved them since this issue took hold? could be worthwhile for some of us to compare notes on what we are told or if we recieve an affected chipset?

CP

 

I have the same experience as you. Status is in production with a EDD of 2/16. I've had no luck and a different answer from everyone i've spoken with at Dell. If they put it on hold so be it, but I would like to know because I will cancel the NBD shipping because unlike most, I had to pay for it. Also, the coupons that were also part of my EPP pricing have expired so canceling the order does me no good either.

 

I just called Dell support which was because I was instructed to by the agent via chat. Surprisingly they are still going thru with the EDD that they gave me which will be on 2/17.

The agent on the phone got me to receive a call once my order will be shipped, other than that they all say my order will still push thru the EDD.

Hopefully thats going the be my case.

 

Yah, call first though to check, and see if you can get an American csr to give you a quote that'll last for x-amount of days that way you can still get same price for what you paid already. Bargain/haggle 'em to death!

Mine's the same. Seems like they're gonna continue with the same EDD. Makes sense either way, cuz building a computer doesnt really take 2 weeks now does it? I could build like 5 in one day (desktop). So I'm guessing 2 weeks is enough to wait for new motherboards shipment, right? Maybe that's why our EDD hasnt changed.

 

yea i am getting the same response. i called to cancel and they lady said to let her talk to her supervisor and my options were to cancel or just keep going through with the order and receive it as planned on my EDD and after i get it give them a call and i will be refunded $165 and after the new parts come out they will replace the mobo. pretty sweet.

 

Jake, what's the $165 for? I missed that.

I haven't called Dell or anything, but my 1/26 order page still reads "In Production" with an EDD of 2/18. I'm personally hoping it is shipped on time, new part or old part, because I'd rather not wait until March or April. If they need to swap it out at a later date, that's fine by me.

 

Myself as well,
I ordered 2 of them and they're both still slated for the 21st and in production. I really hope they ship and I can get the Mobo's replaced at a later date. Totally fine with me.

 

I wouldn't worry about the missing shipping/billing info - the order I placed yesterday for my M15x doesn't have that either.

 

i called to cancel my order and they said if you keep with the order we will refund you $165 after you receive it just so i didnt cancel it.

 

ok what do you think is gunna happen to this. after i placed my order for my m17x r3 they money was taken out of my account. but today its back in my account and avaible for use. but i know for sure my order is still in production cause i called and found out. but also today my bank called me cause of fraud charges on my account so they had to close the card that my laptop will be charged too. so you guys think will happen does dell already have the money its just not out of my account yet or will they go to ship it and the payment wont work so they cancel my whole order. or will they ship and and contact me for another payment option. any have a expierence in this. thanks.

 

I've had this sort of thing happen a couple of times, and every time they have just called and said "hey, we're having trouble with your card." I get it straightened out, call them back with the new card information, and done.

It is in Dell's best interest to call and try to rectify things rather than just cancel the whole order and possibly miss out on a sale. I wouldn't sweat it.

Okay, since we're all sitting around trying not to think about whether we'll get our toys or not, here's something related to discuss to pass the time. Ignoring the fact that what Dell does is heavily dependant on the terms of their agreement with Intel, what factors do you think would cause Dell to either 1) hold orders until they can be fixed, or 2) ship orders and fix them later.

I know they've got number crunchers who have looked that this issue. Here's my take. First, stop people from ordering new machines that you can't deliver. This has been done. Next you have to weigh the cost of delaying shipments with repairing/replacing shipped product later. I'm figuring our machines are at least half way built, so they've already got some money into them. Taking them apart and restocking the parts is going to cost more money and be a bit disruptive, so I think they want to just push them through like normal.

If they ship them out, they keep their customers happy because they have product in hand, and later all they have to do is ship out a new one and get the old one back, which presumably Intel is on the hook for.

On the flip side, if they hold everything, they're looking at the possibility of their money walking away to other manufacturers, something they want to avoid at all costs. Not only that, but they're looking at a disruption of the production process, as I said above.

My money's on shipping and fixing later.

 

oh ok thanks man. i was getting all worried about it cause i didnt wanna wait all this time then right before they ship it it gets cancelled. haha

my money is also on shipping and fixing cause they want peoples money now not later.